Birdlife International 50th Global Council meeting in Ecuador

BirdLife International, a global partnership of conservation organisations, had a successful meeting in Ecuador. Specifically, it was the 50th Global Council meeting, hosted by Aves y Conservación, one of Birdlife 120 National Partner around the Globe.

The Council meeting, which is held every six month, is the main governance body for BirdLife International. The members of BirdLife, together with key stakeholders and supporters, come together to discuss and adopt a common framework and strategy with priorities for bird conservation.

SPNL, being the BirdLife Partner for Lebanon, participated in this important event with the presence of SPNL Director General Assad Serhal, who is a representing the Middle East region as an elected Global Councillor of BirdLife International.

SPNL is working to make it possible to invite Birdlife GC to Lebanon , and show case Lebanon’s IBAs and Hima sites , and Souk Al-hima products , hand made by local communities , together for nature conservation and people . A MOU was signed between Birdlife and SPNL to help in fundraising as of December 2014 to April 2015.

The focused discussions during the event were fruitful. Partners agreed on a global framework and elements for a programme of work. The focus will emphasize saving species, protecting sites and habitats, promoting ecological sustainability and empowering people.

To deliver this framework for the period 2015 to 2017, BirdLife will work on key priority programmes including: flyways for migratory birds, preventing extinctions of globally threatened species, saving forests through the “Forests of Hope” initiative, protecting Important Bird Areas, empowering people and building the capacity of the BirdLife Partnership and secretariat.

Round table discussions at the meeting included topics such as the Migratory Birds and Flyways Programme, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), businesses and conservation and capacity development. Other topics such as addressing the drivers of deforestation and a new regional programme to tackle illegal hunting were also discussed.